Adapted from an article originally published by Grants Plus on Foundant
The nonprofit sector is still struggling through the uncertainty and upheaval of the COVID-19 crisis. Social distancing and “shelter in place” decrees forced the cancelation of fundraising events and fee-based services, resulting in lost income. Many organizations are recovering from programmatic and operational disruptions and finding their way to a “new normal.”
2020 demonstrated that foundations step up, not back, during a crisis. Since the Seattle Foundation launched the first COVID-19 Response Fund, foundations across the country mounted efforts to convene partners, gather emergency resources, and move funds into their communities. Billions of dollars in crisis funding have been granted to nonprofits on the frontlines of addressing critical needs.
As we entered 2021, more nonprofits are competing for grants as a way to revive their revenues, making the grants marketplace more crowded than ever before.
During the financial crash twelve years ago, the Dow Jones fell over 50%, but foundations funding levels barely dipped.
Foundations are stepping up now—but they are relying on nonprofits to let them know what’s needed. Following are three things nonprofits should do to accept the help that foundations are ready to give:
Take charge of your active grants.
Funders recognize that some grantees will not be able to deliver on their grant-funded programs and outcomes. They are showing tremendous willingness to be flexible—many foundations are lifting restrictions, extending timelines, eliminating reporting requirements, and even converting restricted grants to general operating. Review your current grants. If you determine you can’t deliver on the terms or promises, proactively contact your funder to request a change.
Communicate with funders sooner than later.
Contact each of your top foundation funders. Email is likely best, as foundation representatives are also juggling kids, dogs, and working from home, while fielding many requests. Be prepared to share how the crisis is impacting your organization’s operations, programs, and finances, in the immediate and near-term, and what you may need. But don’t wait until you have a “perfect plan” to reach out. Funders are trying to understand the needs in their communities as fast as they can. “We’re moving quickly,” says Maggie Martinelli, VP, Administration and Operations of Scranton Area Community Foundation. She warns, “If a nonprofit waits too long to contact us, it might be too late.”
Seek crisis funding opportunities.
Especially if your nonprofit is addressing emergency needs, including hunger, childcare, and health services, find out if there is a rapid response fund in your community. These funds are often coordinated by community foundations and United Ways and many represent a coalition of philanthropic, business, and government partners. The Grants Plus team has been tracking emergency grant opportunities on a daily basis. Visit our hub of COVID-19 grant seeking resources and listing of crisis grants to see what’s available in your community.
No one knows when things will be back to “normal” or what our new normal will be, but we do know we can count on foundations to help us get there. If you have questions or concerns about how this crisis impacts your organization or its grant seeking effort, do not hesitate to request a complimentary troubleshooting conversation with our team at Grants Plus.
